


Prelude and Nocturne

by stellamaru (tzy)



Category: Angel: the Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-07-23
Updated: 2003-07-23
Packaged: 2017-11-05 00:20:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/399818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tzy/pseuds/stellamaru
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Faith doesn't know when to quit. Angsty car ride set between "Orpheus" and "Dirty Girls."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Prelude and Nocturne

**Author's Note:**

> Written in 2003 for a faithficathon on LJ.

Faith sat in the car, resting her head on the window. She idly counted things she saw outside, playing a childhood game she vaguely remembered. Nevada plates. Dog in the back of a truck. Slug-bug. Piece of blown-out tire. She couldn't remember if she'd ever played it, or if she'd just heard about it. Tree. Tree. Tree. She was going back to Sunnydale, back to the place where things had gone to shit in a shit basket every time she'd shown up. Litter. Broken glass. Roadkill. 

Fuck. 

"Do we have to listen to this Lilith-fair crap? I thought you used to go out with a musician." She didn't mean to snap it like that. Must be tired from almost dying again.

"I'm the driver, I get to pick."

"Oh, _that's_ right. Forgot you switched to carpet munching. How's that working out for you?"

Willow glanced at Faith. "I guess the whole remorse thing doesn't extend to, uh, manners and stuff."

"Dunno, Red, seems to me you're in a better position to be knowing about that. Heard about that little gothtastic trick you pulled last year." Faith jabbed her finger at the radio, turning it off. She took out a cigarette and plunged the lighter in to activate it. "S'funny. Don't see you in a hurry to turn yourself in."

She lit her cigarette and took a long drag. "God, that's the shit," she said, exhaling the smoke in one big puff. The smoke, freely obtained, tasted like every thing she'd yearned for in her cell. It tasted like dancing all night and sweaty sex with strong men. The best part was she could have another one as soon as she finished. She didn't have to count, horde, or ration anything. 

Faith smiled. "You'd go over good in stir. Pretty redhead who's already inclined that way--the Big Berthas would be all over you."

Willow's eyes were on the road and her hands were at ten and two on the wheel. 

"But I guess the rules are different for B's buddies. What's a little flaying between friends?"

"Why don't we say driving time is quiet time?" Willow said, her knuckles white where she clutched the steering wheel. "Try not to talk about stuff you don't know anything about." That made Faith laugh.

"C'mon, Will, of all the people you know I'm probably the one who can most relate. Me and Angel. Who else you know that's been down there?" 

"Is saying I'd be popular in prison your way of saying you want to talk? 'Cause, as conversation starters go, it's lacking that certain something."

Faith sucked down another drag off her smoke. "Whatever."

They drove in silence for a few more miles.

"Down where?" Willow finally said, after Faith lit another cigarette. 

"You know," Faith said. "Down in the deep. Hell, the pit, whatever you want to call it. The place Angel reached down into and pulled me out without looking back. More than once, as it turns out."

Willow didn't say anything. Faith smoked her cigarette, feeling excited and eager to finish so she could light another one. She was going to smoke the whole pack and then get herself a carton of them. "All I'm saying is, I know."

She did know. The knife was always there, making her feel stronger, more deadly, ready to slay anything that blocked her. No matter how hard she tried to drop it, it was always there. The blade was sometimes hot, sometimes icy-cold, but always heavy and solid in her hand.

Goddamn it. She needed to wind down, let out some steam. Going to back to Sunnydale had her too close to the edge. "So how's the gang?"

"Fine."

"Dawn?"

"Fine."

"Giles?"

"Fine."

"Buffy?" 

Willow sighed exasperatedly. "Five by five, okay?"

"Riley?" Faith stubbed out her smoke and smiled. Riley had had his uses.

"Gone."

"Xander?"

That touched a nerve, judging by how Willow gripped the wheel and almost swerved them out of the lane. "He's fine. You don't need to worry about him."

"Oh, ho. I see. You're not still upset that I got there first, are you Red?" Faith pulled out another cigarette. She was starting to feel kind of twitchy from all the nicotine. "Tell me Will, do you think you'd be playing for the other team if you'd hooked up with him? 'Cause I gotta say, I don't think he has it in him to--" 

Willow hit the brakes, pulling over to the side of the road. She yanked her seatbelt off and opened her door. "Get out," she said. She walked around to Faith's door. "Get out."

"Look," Faith said, getting out and facing Willow. "You want me to bail, say the word. I'm here 'cause you asked me to come. I could be in some bar in Mexico, sippin' margaritas right about now."

"Believe me, if I didn't think we were going to need you...." Willow said, her voice splintering. 

Faith laughed. "You know, I keep forgetting how much you don't like me. Shit. You really had it bad for old Xan, huh?" 

"Shut up. Just shut up," Willow said, gritting her teeth. 

"What? What do you want to do? You wanna hit me?" She poked her on the shoulder. "You wanna flay me alive?"

Willow clenched her fists. Faith poked her again. "Come on Red, hit me. I know you're achin' to do it." She pushed her against the car. "Hit me, Willow. Show me what you got." She raised her hand for another poke and Willow slapped it aside.

"Stop it." Willow struck out with both hands and hit Faith on her jaw and shoulder. "Stop," she said again, hitting Faith once more. The air crackled around her. "I hate you." 

Faith grabbed Willow's hands in mid-swing. She moved them down and stepped in, almost flush against Willow's body. "I know," she said, pressing close so Willow couldn't hit her again.

They stood like that, leaning against the car, motionless. Faith could feel her heart pounding and she wanted another cigarette. She looked at Willow; her eyes were red and her face was tight and pinched. Faith blinked and moved in before she could stop to think about it. She kissed Willow roughly, letting go of her hands so she could cup her face. Willow jumped at the contact, pulling away slightly. Then Faith ran her tongue over her bottom lip and Willow tipped forward into the kiss. 

Willow kissed Faith like she'd hit her: with anger and fierce energy. 

Faith didn't kiss women. She didn't touch them, either. That would've meant she was a lez, and, if there was one thing Faith knew, it was that she liked a penis to be involved with sex. Fuck, she didn't even like kissing all that much when it was a man. She liked to get right to the main event.

In prison, she had let the ones who came to her for protection go down on her. Hell, she had needs. It was either them or the guards, and while she always said 'fuck authority,' she didn't usually mean it so literally. She could close her eyes and pretend. 

This wasn't pretending, this was Willow, Buffy's best friend. Willow, who hated her. Willow, who was letting Faith stick her tongue down her throat. Willow, who was grabbing at her waist. Faith moved her hand down to Willow's breast and let out a little moan at how nice it felt in her hand, all soft and _different_. 

Willow broke the kiss and pushed Faith back, holding her away but moving her fingers on Faith's abdomen. Her eyes were glazed and heavy. "I- I'm seeing someone. Uh, plus, the small matter of me hating you."

"Yeah? Well, I'm not a dyke," Faith said, slipping a hand under Willow's shirt and bending in for another kiss. This time, she covered Willow's mouth with hers and sucked her tongue out into her mouth. Willow sighed and dissolved into Faith's strong body. It was all wrong in every possible way, but Faith didn't care; she was focused on Willow's deft fingers and the feel of Willow's skin under her own hands, smooth and wet. She took her time exploring this new territory. It was so familiar, but at the same time so completely distinct from any other encounter. 

For the first time she could remember, Faith was more interested in someone else's responses than her own. She felt powerful, knowing that every noise and sigh Willow made was because of her. Then Willow shifted her own fingers and found just the right spot and Faith stopped thinking.

After, they untangled and silently got back in the car. Willow started the car up and pulled out.

They drove for several miles without speaking. Willow opened her mouth a few times to start, but snapped it shut without a word. They were nearing Sunnydale when she finally said something. 

"He pulled me out. Xander did. When I...." Willow trailed off and readjusted her grip on the steering wheel.

Faith nodded. "Good for him," she said, without a hint of sarcasm. She meant it. "Good for him."


End file.
